1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an e-commerce system utilizing information communication networks using electronic, radio and/or optical system as media, and more particularly to an e-commerce system and method enabling ordinary people to purchase merchandise corresponding to celebrity preferences.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, on the market exist the needs that a consumer desires to purchase merchandise corresponding to preference of a person who interests the consumer. An example of the needs is a case of considering to wear the same merchandise that a celebrity wears to imitate the celebrity. In order to cope with such needs, magazines or the like run feature articles for introducing shops where merchandise that a celebrity wears can be purchased. Further, with the progress of infrastructures on information technology and information networks such as the internet, similar feature articles are run in e-commerce using the information networks.
However, in the case of introducing merchandise that celebrities wear in such a method, there arises a situation where the celebrity privacy is not protected. That is, when a shop is introduced where merchandise that a celebrity wears can be purchased, a situation may occur where the so-called fans of the celebrity rush to the shop, and the celebrity privacy is not protected. Therefore, a case is expected that merchandise that a celebrity recommends is different from the merchandise that the celebrity actually wears. Accordingly, there arises a problem that the methods are not capable of coping with the above-mentioned consumer needs.
Further, in the methods as described above it is expected that merchandise corresponding to temporary celebrity preference at the time the magazine or the like issued be introduced. Accordingly, when the celebrity preference has changed with the passage of time, a case is expected that merchandise recommended by a celebrity in the magazine is different from merchandise that the celebrity currently wears. Also in such a case the problem arises that the methods are not capable of coping with the consumer needs.